Oliver 1850 Gas - Buy or Not to Buy that is the Question

HoosierOllie

New User
Hey All,

I am contemplating buying a '65 Oliver 1850 gas with one set of rear hydro. It appears to be in good condition with a few minor cosmetic items that need to be addressed. Mainly the exhaust manifold is cracked. Everything appears to be functional. Engine starts easy with no smoke. PTO and 3 Pt work normally.

My main question is reliability and no Oliver dealers around to fix major repairs such as engine or transmission issues. My other option is buying a John Deere with a large JD dealer in our area.

Any suggestions or ideas are much appreciated.

Ollie
 
I would not buy a gas tractor that big unless it was for show or feeding cows in 10 below zero F weather. That model Oliver is generally reliable but a tractor that old means individual history is a major factor. It could be a champ or in be in need of major work. Somethings do not reveal themselves until the tractor is worked hard.
 
You can do some searching on this board to see other people"s opinions, but in general those that have the big Oliver gassers like them except for having a reputation for being thirsty for fuel. I bought an
1850 gas a year ago and although I don"t work it a lot of hours it"s been a good tractor. Mine also has a cracked exhaust manifold that has been repaired and it seems to work OK. You are right that you"ll be
more on your own more for repairs with an Oliver, but they have a good reputation for longevity. I would suggest looking around for local tractor repair shops close to you that work on all kinds of older
tractors, regardless of color. There are also folks that frequent this site that part out Olivers and would be a good source of major components if it would ever come to that.
 
If you're gonna tend 100 acres with it
you'll have hire a man to haul gas to
it. If for occasional use, the gas won't
be a problem. It would be a big help if
you had a friend or neighbor who is
mechanically familiar with Oliver
tractors.Olivers are well built and a
pleasure to work on.
 
I think the key to your decision is in your comments about local support. That tractor is 50 years old so expect it to need something at some point. It doesn't matter if it's 50 years old or 2 years old, you need good parts and service support if you are actually going to farm with it. Granted, you can go online to get help and mail order parts, but at some point it's just really nice to stop at the local dealer for what you need or to resolve a problem.
 
What model JD are you considering? Just because they are a JD dealer
doesn't necessarily mean there's someone working there that knows
how to work on a 40 or 50 old tractor regardless of the brand.
 
My first tractor to farm with was an 1850 gasser. Great cheap good horsepower. Maintenance parts are at Napa or korves. I doubt the tractor
costs much. I made a few 4020 guys red in the face with mine
 
I don't worry about local dealers #1 I'm not going to pay $80 to $100 hr for them to work on my equipment #2 I can call anywhere in the US or Canada and have parts sent to me about as quick as any dealer can get them to me.Buy a parts book on your machine and know what you need.
 
When did Olivers become gas hogs? Back when the 1800 hit the market, the dealer in Chariton County Mo. was selling gassers because they were so economical, he didn't even recommend diesels. What happened ?[/list]
 
A tractor that's inexpensive with parts to match or an expensive tractor with parts
to match. I've seen expensive used tractors down with a big tag to fix. If you have
the money to buy an expensive used tractor with a potential high repair cost, buy new
with a warranty. If not, buy inexpensive and a spare, use them both and keep an eye
out for an upgrade. When the right one comes along replace what you have and so on.

I like my 1850 but it has an Oliver loader. Been well worth the money paid.Talked to
people who used to run them, they liked them too_One of them had a very expensive
Massey sitting in his barn busted he'd bought used a few years ago. Never mentioned
his old 1850's sitting in the barn busted.
 
I have a Oliver 1750 gas that was built from a 1750 diesel that had a bad engine. Dropped the gas engine in that I got from from one of the guys that parts out Olivers. Did go with an electronic ignition. Works great. Simple tractor yet very functional. I did pick up a 1850 for parts for about 800 and so far the only parts used off it has been two pieces related to sheet metal mountings. Parts are available and from what I have seen about Deere's, they usually have a big price tag to get fixed. I do most of my own work but needed some help. Posted an ad looking for an mechanic familiar with Oliver's and got 3 really good responses. They all knew the tractors and really wanted to work on Olivers instead of some of the others. My recommendation, get a good operators, service and parts manual and keep a dialogue open looking for those who can assist on the bigger jobs. Parts are available.
 
Thanks Guys for all the Great Insight! Lots of great ideas and good comments. Basically the reoccurring opinion is that once you get an Oliver you won't regret it.
 
Parts are available for just about anything on an 1850. The 1850 is a rather simple tractor to work on. A 4020 has better power steering and better brakes by a small margin. If you are looking to do work instead of show off, the 1850 beats a 4020 easily. The 1850 can be had cheaper, too.
 
Pleasure, maybe until you have to replace the steering lines/hoses on a 1650 under the dash or replace the 3pt piston seals.
 

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